Question: First consider the expression for: Take the product of $7$ and $x$ and add $-2$. Now select the answer that matches the following: The sum of $-5$ and the product of $7$ and that expression.
Solution: Let's break this problem into smaller and easier pieces. What is the product of $7$ and $x$ $7 \times x = \color{orange}{7x}$ What does adding $-2$ to $7x$ do? $7x$ $ - 2$ What is the quantity of $7$ times that expression $7 \times (7x - 2) = \color{orange}{7(7x-2)}$ What is the sum of $-5$ and $\color{orange}{7(7x-2)}$ $7(7x-2)$ $ - 5$ So the entire expression we're considering can be written as $7(7x-2)-5$.